Barmouth Beach came alive with the sound of laughter, chatter, energetic activity and music on Saturday 10th July when 1100 Girl Guides and their leaders arrived in the town.
The action packed event was one of hundreds that are taking place throughout the UK to mark the first 100 years of guiding. The guides enjoyed a fun, magical, exciting and diverse range of activities, which were organised for them on the beach by their leaders.
The beach opposite the lifeboat station took on a Caribbean theme and the guides were extremely busy joining in different activities; building sandcastles, making and tasting cocktails, creating spectacular designs, bouncing on the trampoline, playing in the bouncy castle, eating ice-cream and much more.
Two hundred and sixty of the guides visited the lifeboat station where members of the crew gave them a conducted tour showing them the two lifeboats and detailing what happens when the lifeboats are launched.
They also explained that the commitment of crew members isn’t only measured in the time spent involved in rescues. Increasingly, new equipment and faster boats also means that regular training programmes account for much of the time. This training includes boat handling, radio communications, first aid, navigation and radar training.
Before the final activities began in the early evening, several girls were awarded prizes for their achievements during the day.
Every Girl Guide present had also given some money, which was presented to the RNLI. Altogether £400 was donated and Jackie Thomas a member of the Barmouth RNLI lifeboat shore crew gratefully received this.
The very successful day concluded with a disco and barbecue, and even when the heavens opened and the rains poured down it did not dampen the spirits of the guides who left Barmouth extremely tired but very happy.
